Formed in 1972, Styx melds hard rock, acoustic guitar, synthesizers, and acoustic piano. They are best described as progressive rock with pop and soft rock.
The band has found themselves, in a variety of different lineups, on the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 a number of times, and have had four consecutive albums certified multi-platinum: ‘The Grand Illusion,’ ‘Pieces of Eight,’ ‘Cornerstone,’ and ‘Paradise Theatre.’
Recommended Listening: If you haven’t already heard “Come Sail Away,” you need to fix that right now. They also have plenty of other songs that have reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Kansas
Kansas began in 1973 and has had plenty of different members over the years. You almost certainly know Kansas from their song “Carry On Wayward Son,” but the band has achieved plenty more, including three multi-platinum albums.
Kansas combined hard rock, southern rock, and progressive rock and was inspired by Yes and Genesis, though Livgren also cited the 60's band Touch as foundational. The classic era lasted until the mid-80s when the band reformed as a somewhat harder pop metal band.
Recommended listening: Kansas's most popular album is Leftoverture, thanks to “Carry On Wayward Son.” Also, hear “Dust in the Wind,” the band's only top-ten single.
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses combined numerous rock genres to create a unique, chugging, driving sound known worldwide. Their first album, Appetite for Destruction, reached number one on the Billboard 200 and still is the best-selling debut album ever.
The band is also famous for its antics. Singer Axl Rose has assaulted people, people have died at concerts, and addiction ran rampant during the eighties, earning the band the moniker “the most dangerous band in the world.” Recommended Listening: There's no going wrong with their debut album. Make sure to hear the songs “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child of Mine,” and “Paradise City."
Blondie
Pioneers in American new wave and punk rock in the mid-to-late 70s, Blondie was started by Debbie Harry and Chris Stein. Underground until 'Parallel Lines' in 1978, over the next three years, they would achieve a number of hit singles.
The Band has been on the road for decades and joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, having sold over forty million records worldwide. They're even still active; their eleventh studio album, 'Pollinator,' came out May 5th, 2017.
Recommended Listening: 'Parallel Lines' was the breakout album for Blondie and spawned the hit single “Heart of Glass.” Also, listen to their second number-one UK single, “Maria,” in 1999.
Tool
Nothing transcends musical styles like Tool. Formed in 1990, the band has produced only six albums despite being active since its formation. However, the group has won four Grammy Awards for their efforts.
Combining progressive rock and psychedelic rock, Tool is an intensely private band and didn't even allow online streaming until 2019. They released their sixth album 'Fear Inoculum' in August of 2019, thirteen years after 2006's '10,000 Days'.
Recommended Listening: Focus on 2001's 'Lateralus,' what most fans consider the top selection, and '10,000 days'. Listen to the albums in one sitting, in a quiet room with good headphones. You'll thank us.